India and Germany - Two extremes - one trip - June 2011

This was my second trip to India, and I have to say that it was so much better than my first trip! Perhaps it was getting over the huge shock that is India on the first trip... or the fact that I didn't get sick this time... or maybe the fact that unlike last time when I was in the massive cities like Mumbai and Chennai (10-15million people each)... we were in "smaller" towns (of only 3-4 million people each).

This trip was my first to India that included train travel. The train stations and train accomodations are a unique experience all to its own... but the view out the window is like being in a time machine! Villiages of people living in grass huts, plowing fields using only water buffalo or ox... and riding the occasional camel or elephant for transportation. It's just so hard to imagine that a large portion of the world's population still live like this - but the fact is that they do.

(Full photo gallery at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2103689108399.132380.1130619233&l=14ee2d31e3 )

The cities (Ranchi, Rajgangpur, Rourkela) we visited were still very densely populated, chaotic and dirty... but no where nearly as "difficult" as Mumbai - where there are millions of poverty-stricken people packed into the slums- and where traffic makes a simple 10 mile commute take upwards of 3 hours. These cities had a bit of green in them... and a more suburban feel.


Jamshedpur, the city where our Indian office is, and where Tata Steel has a massive steel plant(one of the world's largest), is "run" by Tata, and actually clean and green! There were actually trash cans and dumpsters in the city! No joke - this is not something you see anywhere else in India! It was quite a nice thing to see!

The food was fantastic, and on this trip my colleague from India was with us every step of the way, to recommend the hottest and the tastiest foods to try. This was great!! On a dare, I ate the hottest pepper there... striaght... you can't fully see the REDNESS and SWEAT that broke out on my face for the rest of the evening...



The scariest part of the trip was the 3 hour car ride from Jamshedpur to Ranchi. It was on a winding mountainous road (kind of like the one in the "Ice Road Truckers - India - World's Most Dangerous" - but not quite as mountainous)... this was a view into rural India, traveling on dangerous, horrible sorta-one-lane roads with big trucks passing on all sides. We passed 3 fatal car accidents! Plus, this stretch of road is notorious after dark, and the locals won't even drive it in the dark because of the risk of hijackings and other bad stuff.


We did pass villages of grass huts... and people RIDING CAMELS for transportation... among other weird sights along the way!


All in all, while India is a crowded, dirty place which has more poverty than any other place in the world I've been to... this trip was so much more enjoyable and comfortable for me. Again, partly due to the smaller cities where we went, and in part to the fact that I was fully prepared for what to expect this time around.

After my week in India - I hopped a flight from New Delhi, India to Frankfurt, Germany. Man - that was like getting into a space ship and going to a new planet...

Germany is so clean, so orderly, so meticulously organized and cared for... with food that is rather bland and brown (but very tastey) in comparison to the bright, spicy foods of India. Such a contrast!!

My week in Germany was busy and comfortable. I know the area... I can drive (I have a 6 speed diesel VW over there - which is so much fun to take out on the autobahn)... the language is more familiar to me as are the accomodations, food and climate.

I met up with colleagues there from Spain, UK, France and Germany for a productive week - and lots of good dinners and beers at night.

Flight back home to Cleveland was wonderful - First class again, and very comfortable and relaxing.

The homecoming from Amy and the boys was so wonderful that Thursday night! Ahhhh... so good to be home again! Wonder where my next trip will be?

China and Japan I suspect...

Maumee Bay Olympic Triathlon Race Report - June 19, 2011

SUMMARY:
Maumee Bay yielded my highest overall finish so far in an Olympic Triathlon – 6th, against a challenging field and and a PR (2:09:57) on a very windy day. I “went for broke” in the swim and bike and held on in the run. I battled the wind and ended up with the fastest bike split overall in both the Olympic Triathlon and Duathlon! My swim improvement continues, with a 17th overall swim split (compared to 55th last year and 29th at Deer Creek). My run was a bit disappointing, a combination of upset stomach from over-hydration on the bike and fatigue from the bike. I was 1 minute slower than my consistent 40-41min 10k... But this has been the goal this season to date – race harder from the gun, earlier in the day and see what effect it has on my run and overall position.


Last season, I suspected I was holding back too much in the swim and bike. I'd feel (too) good during the run, and while finishing the run strong, I was wondering if I was leaving too much on the table. What I am learning so far this season is that I can push myself harder and earlier in the race, and have a better total race!


SWIM:
This was my second race in the Elite category, starting in the first wave with the fastest athletes. My strategy this year, was to go all-out in the first 5 minutes or so, to stay with the faster swimmers, and then find some feet for drafting/pacing (totally legal in triathlon). It worked pretty well in Deer Creek, so I tried it again this week. It is a physical bunch, really fighting for position. No one backs down. There is a LOT of contact (incidential and sometimes intentional) - so you really have to be aggressive and careful at the same time.

My disadvantage in years past continued to be my swim. I worked on that a lot this winter, and I'm happy to say that I have made a big improvement, with more work to do. So, I had confidence that I could sustain faster speeds, and pushing it so hard from the gun was to put me with the faster swimmers who would help set a faster pace. In the lake, with no "walls" to help you know your pace per 100m, you have to rely on the other swimmers as well as your perceived effort to gauge your speed.

I had more trouble finding a good person to draft on... I bounced between a few sets of feet, and sometimes just had to swim in open water on my own to hold the correct line to the next turn. I wasn't sure if I was in a good position in this swim, because of the trouble to find other fast swimmers, so I kept pushing harder, thinking I started too slowly.


Bottom line, I came out of the water 17th - my highest swim rank ever in Olympic - compared to consstent 50th-60th places last year. BIG improvement in position and time. Good start to the day.


BIKE:
It was quite windy at the start of the race, and I expected it to get worse as the morning went on (and it did!). I was mentally prepared for the cross-winds, and the relentless headwinds - as Maumee is quite flat and open and there is nowhere to hide from the wind.

After being encouraged by a strong swim, I started hammering the bike from the start. I've learned how to ride in the wind, when to push it in the tailwind sections where other people take it easy, and how to push just enough into the headwinds to drive forward, without blowing my legs out. It was working and I was picking off cyclists one by one.

At one point, I passed two guys who were battling for position, and they told me they were the last ones, that I was in the lead. What? I didn't believe them fully... but used that thought to become the rabbit being chased by the hounds, and took the motivation to push the pace harder yet. Turns out they were wrong, and I came up on a couple more competitors during the bike course. Regardless, they added just another spark to drive me forward.



The second loop was noticably windier than the first. Could really feel it in the cross-winds - to know it wasn't just my legs getting tired. It was windy!

2 weeks prior, at Deer Creek, I didn't drink enough, and that hurt my run. This time, expecting the wind to add to dehydration problems, I drank extra on the bike. Plus, in a stupid move, I mixed my fluids stronger (still don't know why I thought that was OK to do... I know better)... and by mile 18 on the bike, my stomach was upset. Stupid!

I later learned that I had posted the FASTEST BIKE SPLIT on the day. That was a very cool feeling to know I did that, even though my bike time was 2 minutes slower than last year (which was the 3rd fastest time), knowing the effects of the wind on the time - seeing I had the fastest split was a new achievement for me and a testiment to how hard I pushed it into the wind.



RUN:

I came into transition ready to run. There was one guy in particular that I hadn't raced before, Brian Stern. I knew I was a faster swimmer and cyclist, and that he was a phenominal runner. I figured I needed a 6 minute buffer against him to have a chance to hold him off in the run. I would later determine from the splits posted, that I had a 6 minute gap on Brian...

My first 2 miles were strong, but my stomach was really sloshing... there was still wind, and it was changing the conditions from reasonable but strong headwind pushing us, or a tailwind that didn't slow us down with force, but took away the feeling of cooling - it got really hot.


Coming to mile 3 I was pushing through the discomfort (I just wanted to puke it out and feel better, but I was concerned that I would then dehydrate as a result, and decided not to take that option). Still posting good splits, and holding the gap on the guy in front of me - wasn't getting away but I wasn't closing in either. I wanted to hold that gap until after the turn-around, when he would see me. I didn't want to pass before then.

At the turn-around, you can see where everyone is and how far ahead/behind they are, and how they look. I was happy with my position, and how I felt compared to how some of the others looked. This was going well, and I knew I was in 5th.

I saw Brian, and knew he was coming... I also threw up in my mouth a few times, and knew things weren't going well in my gut. I needed some extra calories / rush from a gel, but the thought was literally making me puke. Ugh... My nutrition plan / execution sucked today, and cost me 2 minutes in the run, and hurt my chances in the showdown with Brian.

Just about mile 5, I passed the transition area and a number of teammates and friends cheering me along. I still felt OK, but sick inside, and I just wanted to hold off Brian. I could hear people cheering for him now... he was close, and made the pass right at mile 5. I tried to go with him, but something in my brain went "snap". I knew he had me, and the suffering wouldn't undo the pass. I had a goal of PRing at this race, but the windy conditions on the bike killed that. I had no one close chasing me. I hate to admit it, but his pass broke me. With my super-upset stomach... and at the moment, nothing to chase or chase me... I walked for about 30 seconds to try to settle things, regroup, refocus and get going again.


I knew some of my friends and teammates saw me stop and walk. I was embarrassed, but there was nothing left at the moment. The engine room was overheating, my gut was over-sloshed and my targets escaped me.

After the mental reset, I got pissed at myself, and started again. Pushing faster and faster for the last 1.2 miles. There was no one chasing me - but now it was to reclaim a little pride for my stoppage. My last full mile was a 6:12... I was pretty happy with that, despite the other problems. Little goals, little achievements sometimes...


When the final results were posted, I was proud to see that my hard-fought day earned my 6th overall - my highest overall placement in the field, and a new personal record (PR) of 2:09:57 at the Olympic Distance. I was quite proud of this.

The suffering was real, and some of the most intense I have experienced in Olympic distance racing - but that has been the goal this season - race as hard as I can from the start - find out what I am truly capable of - no questions about having something left in the tank at the finish. Mission accomplished - I was SHREDDED at mile 5, and struggled in. But it gave my best result yet - so it was another well learned lesson.

Had I not given myself the total gut-bomb of overcompensation for the Deer Creek dehydration, i'm sure I would have been one place higher, and given Brian a better run for his money at the end... but his jets would probably have held me off anyway. He's a total stud!



COMRADERIE: Friends, team mates and new faces:

Great to see my SnakeBite Racing team out in force - 15+ people there to race and/or cheer (injured taking pictures, etc). We had a great showing there, and a lot of fun, and good exposure for our sponsors.


My friend Darryl Miller from High School (Lakota '90) did his second sprint triathlon ever - and his 18 year old daughter Gabby did her first one. I'm so happy and excited for them - they are totally hooked on the multisport lifestyle!

My college buddy Steve Kauffman was there as well! Did his second sprint triathlon ever and had a fun day, depsite some knee trouble.

Others from the triathlon community were there as well - Maumee Bay is a fun triathlon becaue of all of the local people there!

The Monday right after the race, I departed for a 2 week trip to India and Germany. It was a great trip that I will write about later... and a good chance to rest and recover after Sunday's hard effort.

ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND RACE!

"D-DAY"... Deer Creek Olympic Triathlon Race Report

First triathlon of the season... my first time racing in the Elite Open category... and I'm thrilled to say it went really well! I took more than 5 minutes off my time from last year on that same course, took 3rd in the Elite Open category, and had my first top 10 overall finish. Even better, I was able to share the day with some old friends who came to race and to watch. One in particular who has made an amazing transformation in the past year - losing 180 pounds and doing his first triathlon Sunday. Truly inspirational!


GOAL: B race - shake off the rust from the winter and see how far I can push myself in the swim and bike to measure the effect on the run, in preparation my A races later this season.

Objectives:
1) Swim all out for the first 4-5 minutes to stay with the fast swimmers, find a group to draft with and settle in / hang on.
2) Bike as hard as possible and find out what impact it will have on the run.
2) Take at least 1:30 off last year's 2:15:33 on the same course


Swim: Goal: 25:00, Actual: 23:52 - 29th overall (I was 55th out of the water in 2010)

My first start in the Elite / U30 wave was a smack in the face, literally! I have swum in some aggressive groups in Ironman racing, but there the pace is less intense. This was a really physical swim, and I was pushing my pace all-out in the beginning to see what I could do, and to see if this strategy would lead me to a draft on a fast group. It did... after 4 or 5 minutes of sprinting, I thought my heart might explode and my arms fall to the bottom of the lake, but as I sighted around, I could see a nice pack of swimmers, and I fell into this pack and utilized the draft as much as possible. Drafting is funny in swimming when done correctly... after a while of hitting the guys feet in front of you, you start thinking it is time to pass him and find someone else, but as soon as you come out of his slipstream, you slow down, and he's 5 yards ahead of you, like that! So you scramble back onto his feet and swim another 4-5 minutes before you do the same thing!

I felt really strong in the swim finally. Confident from the focused work I did during the winter, and that confidence allowed me to keep pushing a pace that felt a bit uncomfortable. This was a "throw away" race... time to experiment and learn what I really can (and can't) do. So I kept the intensity up, didn't back down in the turns where it gets really physical, and ended up not only with a faster swim time (subject to course layout and conditions), but a much better overall rank (29th, vs my consistent 53-56th places in 2010).

When I came out of the water and started running up the long set of stairs toward transition, I peeked at my watch... 22:30... "Oh yeah" - off to a good start! Just then I heard "Let's Go Hagan" - and looked up to see Steve Kauffman (OSU Beta '95) cheering me on. Haven't seen the man in person in 14 years! Cool!!

T1: 0:55... no major issues. Wetsuit off, helmet and glasses on... out the door.

Bike: Goal: 1:05, Actual: 1:03:25 - 5th fastest bike split of the day (I did 1:06:33 in 2010)
After what I thought was finally a great swim split for me, it was on to my strength - the bike. Today, I committed to hammering all out for the full 25 miles, to see what effect that would have on my run. This was an experiment to find out how much I was losing by being afraid of blowing up. That was the real purpose of today's race.

I got going on the bike and took a couple of minutes to settle into a good gear selection and cadence. It was already quite hot and humid, with abundant sunshine. I could feel it pretty early into the bike leg. My one "mistake" for the day, the thing I would have done differently, was bring a second bottle of fluids onto the bike. In the past, I think I've gone overkill, hauling too many bottles only to waste energy to return full ones to T2... or drank too much on the bike and sloshed through the run. But today, was hot and humid and I misjudged that.

Toward the end of the first loop, we were moving through the sprint triathletes and duathletes. Time to keep my eyes open for my friends from high school. I saw Darryl Miller and was able to say "GOOD JOB DARRYL" as I went past. He's awesome. Even for those athletes I pass that I do not know... I always alert them to the pass on the left, and tell them "Good Job". It sounds corny, I know, but they are out there pushing themselves to their own limits and hurting just like we are... we just happen to be going a little faster. I'm especially conscious about being a good representative when I'm racing in my team uniform.

As I started the second loop, I looked at my split time, and knew I had a fast first lap... about 31:30 (1:03 pace vs 1:06:33 last year). How long could I keep it up, I wondered as I went for a drink. uh-oh... drink is all gone, and I still have another 12 miles on the bike in this heat. That was a mistake.

The second lap was more interesting - my legs were starting to feel the intensity of the first lap, and the heat of the day, and the lack of additional hydration... then I caught up to a couple of the faster swimmers. I needed the challenge and the pull to keep pushing myself as fast as I could go. I ate up another couple of positions by passing those who left me behind in the swim. Then, someone passed me. This almost never happens to me on the bike. Someone from team Cincy Express. I wasn't having that. Put on one more gear, and bear down to catch back up with him. He and I passed back and forth politely for the next few miles. This guy was a strong cyclist. Coming into transition, he had about 20 yards on me. I know I rode that last 10 miles faster because of him. Thanks!

T2: 0:46 - bike racked, shoes changed, wonder how the legs will feel!

Run: Goal: 41:00, Actual: 41:14 - 10th fastest run (I did 41:04 in 2010)

Well - I can feel two things as I start the run... the heat (and my lack of hydration) and the effort I put out on the bike. Legs are a little heavy. Let's drink up (I brought the Fuel belt because of the temperature) and get some salt tablets in right away. Legs feel like they are in cement, but I'm pulling an "OK" pace - 6:46 first mile.

Second mile - I'm cooking... so hot, humid and there is no shade from the sun. Really glad I brought the Fuel Belt. Only my second triathlon to carry it. At this point, I can feel the effects of the hard biking on my legs. 6:56 mile. Not good.

Third Mile - I saw my split for mile 2 and decided I'd better drink my fuel belt bottles and get all the hydration in I can now - in a couple miles, what goes in my mouth won't matter to the race anymore. I chugged what I had and took more salt tabs, and an Advil, just in case my Plantar Fasciitis wanted to show up. I started concentrating on catching people on this out-and-back section of the course. 6:49 mile


Fourth Mile - Now that the run is 1/2 over, I have only 3.1 miles to go - or about 21 minutes of pain left to endure. I was melting in the heat, and the lack of proper hydration on the bike was coming to roost. This was the first time I was losing my will to push hard. I was starting to worry that I would cramp up and that wasn't good. The Cincy Express jersey I was chasing wasn't getting any closer. Damn. I still wanted to push myself, but not recklessly and explode. I held a 6:50 pace for this mile as well.

Fifth Mile - Alarm, Alarm - the engine room is overheating! I can feel small cramps in both quads with each step. I don't get this often, but I know it can lead to sudden lock-you-up cramps that can bring you to a dead stop quickly. I took the last of my salt caps, all the fluids I could dump on my head at the last aid station, and held on for dear life. I kept the pace up, but wouldn't surge to try to catch anyone. I just need to not do anything stupid, and I'll finish about 2:10 and have had an incredible day! 6:55 mile

Sixth Mile - OK - 1.2 miles to go. I can handle about any pain for 8 minutes or so. time to hunker down, think about all those troops trying to storm Omaha Beach on D-Day... fighting through the fear, the exhaustion, the hopeless of being pinned on that horrible beach under fire for hours at a time... but finding a way to push on and win. That was my objective. The suffering I was feeling was nothing compared to that. It helped diminish my pain and realign my focus. Today was a great race, and I wanted to finish strong. 6:51 mile. I was holding my pace, despite every signal in my body telling me to slow down or stop.

As I came back into the park for the last little bit of distance - it hit me - I ran a 2:10 Olympic triathlon, on the same course where I did a 2:15 last year. Fantastic! Plus, I knew old friends of mine were waiting to cheer me into the finish. One last little spurt of speed... and then the pain is over!


And so, I completed my first triathlon of the season, and I was wildly exciting! I worked all winter on improving my swim -and it showed in the results - both in time and more importantly, in my overall ranking in the swim. Plus - I hammered the bike from the start to the finish, and while I was in some agony during the run, it really didn't affect my run split compared to last year on the same course.

So, I learned some things toady... I can have confidence in my swim now - but I need to keep focusing on improving it... and I can push the bike harder, and still have a good run. What I thought were my limits, were only "mental" limitations I had put on my racing in 2010 because of fearing a blow-up. This race was a great chance to take chances and see what is possible.

Two weeks until Maumee Bay - a target race for SnakeBite racing team, and the best chance for a new PR on a fast course, with great competition.

After the race, I had time to visit with friends I haven't seen in years! Steve Kauffman, who is doing his very first triathlon next weekend at Wendy's in Columbus, came down to see the race and to visit with me - very cool! Darryl Miller and Jen Johoski Ochsenhirt from my grade school and high school days both raced... and SnakeBite Racing teammates Jason Hendricks, Martha Brennan and Michelle Mead both had great races too and meadeled in their divisions! Brian Carruthers from Cleveland raced as well, and sacrificed his perfect day to help someone who crashed while on the bike - the true spirit of sportsmanship.

See you all in Maumee Bay, Ohio for the next stop on the HFP series!

From Couch Potato to Ironman Triathlete and National Championships

I am updating this post, 4 weeks out from racing in the USA Triathlon National Championships! Another major milestone... we'll see what August 20th brings me - in the Adirondak mountains in Burlington, Vermont. I first wrote this post at the beginning of the tri season, just before I had competed in the "Elite Open" catagory for the first time in an Olympic Distance Triathlon.

It still seems amazing to me, considering 11 years ago in 2001, at the age of 29, I WASN'T DOING ANYTHING! I was a complete couch potato, totally out of shape, a soft 200 pounds and completely stressed out all the time. Today, I am in the best shape of my life, both physically and mentally!

Never would I have drempt that I would be a competitive triathlete... do 5 Ironman Triathlons, dozens of Olympic Triathlons, the Boston Marathon twice and 15 or more "regular" marathons. Now, I am in the top few % of the triathletes in the nation and I will be competiting in the National Championships for the first time. Just goes to show - you never know what you are capable of, until you get up and try!


In 2001 - I actually went to see a doctor, because I thought I was having heart trouble at 29. Turns out, it was acid reflux from a combiation of high stress, (poor) diet and a lack of exercise. The Doctor got out her prescription pad and wrote "GO TO THE GYM". I did... and the rest is history! This was such a great approach - instead of throwing pills at me to go after the symptoms... she went after the root cause all to common in the United States - no excercise, poor diet, too much focus on work and stress. That single piece of advise literally turned my life around!

2001, I just started going to the gym - with no idea really what to do... So, I would jump on the treadmill for a while, and then lift some weights. Something was better than nothing - but it was unstructured and without a goal. There was progress, but it was slow. The gym I belonged to at the time held a 5 mile race in Avon - The Eagle Run. I could barely run the 5 miles, but I liked the excitement of doing the event, and found that I trained a lot harder with a "goal" in front of me. A real goal... something to put on a calendar... with a fixed date and distance and everything.

In 2002, I remember on my 30th birthday, I thought it was such a big deal that I ran 10k (6.2 miles) on the treadmill. It WAS a big deal... I was starting to get excited about running! I ran a couple of 5Ks, and the Eagle Run again - and I found I was getting faster! I liked that. Measurable, real feedback. My friend and neighbor, an avid cyclist, introduced me to "Duathlon" (Run-Bike-Run). He lent me his bike that day (I hadn't ridden since I was in college!) and we did the race. I finished around 2ND TO LAST, but I totally enjoyed the workout and the variety and the excitement of running/transition/biking/transition/running again. I also liked the "mind / body" challenge I was finding during a hard race. I was HOOKED!

By the way - I took first place overall a few years later in the same duathlon!


2003 was my first marathon. Cleveland Rite-Aid Marathon. I ran 3:49... and was absolutely choked up and teary-eyed when I finished the last mile along Euclid Avenue, with thousands of screaming people on both sides, cheering us in. It was so amazing - considering just a couple of years before, I couldn't even go 1/5 of the distance! Now, I was finishing a marathon! I decided to train harder and do the Columbus Marathon that fall... 2003 was also the first year of my first sprint distance triathlon.

At the gym where I belonged, I found a "triathlon swimming group" that swam on Thursday nights... that is where I met Mikey Donuts (Mike Cousino), Eric Gibb, Jeff Gegan and some others. We would go out for a beer at the "Creekside Tavern" afterwards and hang out. Now I had a social aspect to go along with the training - plus some experienced triathletes to learn from. This was getting good, and becoming more integrated into my life.

Of course, I kept training more, learning more, and challenging myself more. I decided to take on my first Ironman Triathlon in the fall of 2004. It was the HFP "PINEMAN FULL IRON" race, at Deer Creek State Park in September. I remember getting off the bike after about 8 hours of racing, and thinking "Alright! I only have a 26.2 mile marathon left to run!!"... I actually stopped there in transition, and asked myself when things got so out of hand! I did 12H 18M, took 2nd in my age group, and really, really enjoyed the race! I had really fallen in love with the training that builds up to Ironman racing - the solitude, peace and sense of accomplishment.

I also really love the mental challenges and aspects of long course racing. It is so physical, that it really comes down to who can hold it together mentally. So exciting to get into the mind/body argument that comes when you are fully depleated and exhausted from 10+ hours of racing at your maximum - and your mind is willing your body to keep moving forward, while your body is sending every signal it can to stop! Somehow, you keep moving forward, until the job is done.

The past few years, I have learned more about training and racing and myself And I've made a lot of friends along the way, too. Physically, I'm in the best shape of my life at 39 years of age... and without question I have become a much "happier, more satisfied" person.

2010 was a great year and season for me. My first on the SnakeBite Racing team. My first with a full season Coach (Gregg Brekke).
I've gone from a near-3 hour Olympic Tri (2003) to a 2:10 PR (2010),
from a 3:49 marathon in Cleveland (2003), to a 3:08 in Boston on my 39th birthday (2011),
from a 12:18 Ironman in 2004, to a 10:40 Ironman in 2010

In 2011, I am going to race "Elite Open" because the last 3 years, I have won my age group in nearly every Olympic Triathlon race in the state of Ohio, and I've won the HFP Series three years in a row now. It is time to step up. Plus, I am going to compete in the USA Triathlon National Championships in Vermont in August. Head to head with the very best in the country to compete for a spot on the USA Worlds team.

This season will be a new set of challenges. More intense training (speed vs distance)... more competitive fields... faster racing... more drive to help others find their way into our sport, and train and compete with confidence.

Endurance sports have done so much for me. I can only say "Thank you" to the Doctor who prescribed physical activity instead of a pill - and got me jump-started!

You'll never know what potential is locked up inside you - until you explore it.

What's inside you?

Shifting Gears - Preparing for the 2011 Triathlon Season -

My 2011 spring running season is now behind me. 3 races, 3 PRs! 5K (18:36), 15K (1:00:58) and Boston Marathon (3:08:33). I'm quite pleased! Now, on to my real strength and passion - triathlon!! Last season, I won my age group in all but 1 races I did, won the HFP Series, did a 10:40 Ironman at Rev3 and made USAT Honorable Mention for the first time. It was a good season, but I want more out of this season!

This year, I am focusing on the Olympic Distance... and I will compete as an "Elite" in the USAT Olypmic distance races this season - as well as race in my first USAT National Championships. I need to focus on getting faster, in the shorter Olympic Distance Triathlon (1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run).

This season will be a different focus and training situation for me. 5 of the last 6 years, I've had an Ironman as my "A" race and focus. Lots of long endurance rides and runs. This season, my Coach, Gregg Brekke (www.gbcoaching.com) and I are working to a different program. Speed, speed, speed and speed... I can feel the difference in intensity already!

The combination of a difficult northeast Ohio winter/spring, and my focus on Boston means that I've spent very little time outside on the bike. I have to change that - like NOW! Dodging rainstorms, I've been able to ride outside finally - and I'm happy with my output so far. The winter spinning and focused marathon run training have laid a good foundation for my cycling, which is usually pretty strong relative to the field. But I want to get faster, stronger and... well... faster!

We had a really great winter spinning group at our sponsor Ride + Workout in Lakewood. We (Gregg, Mike, Angie, Eric and I) took turns leading some seriously tough spinning classes. I'm still using some of those workouts on my own when I'm stuck on the trainer now.

My swimming is the biggest area for improvement. I made some good advances during the fall and early winter, when I was focusing on it. Then I had to travel a lot to Asia (easy to run, difficult to swim) and then came the home stretch to get ready for Boston. I need to get my swimming back on track - RIGHT NOW! I need to get back to that frequency and focus. I'm ramping up my yardage again, and I can feel it in my shoulders, chest and lats. Gotta work on the speed, and then the endurance.

So, the weather is finally coming around - and in 6 short weeks, my first Olympic Distance Triathlon... YIKES!

- Better get moving!!

PS:
I really don't write these posts about my day-to-day training for other people to read, so much as to help myself. I benefit from the process of thinking through what is going on, writing out what is honestly going on, and making some public statements to challenge myself. I doubt these get read by anyone who cares... but for me to sit down, organize my thoughts and put some pressure on myself - that helps me a lot!

2011 Boston Marathon Race Report

3:08:33 in Boston – a new PR by 5 minutes and 6 minutes faster than my first Boston Marathon last year. This was a near-perfect day for me in terms of race-day execution (and I never say that!)!

This Boston was the culmination of 1045 miles of running in 8 countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Wales, England, China, Japan and USA) during the past 6 months to prepare. My VDOT was 54 during this training cycle (vs 52 last year), I’m a VDOT 55 now.

I am a much better triathlete than I am a marathon runner... but I love doing a spring marathon each year! It helps me stay focused in the winter months and building fitness toward a first April peak. From this strong running base, I can now focus on my cycling as the conditions get better for outdoor training. Swimming fits well with both activities.


I ran a rather even effort race, with the first half marathon (1:32:46) net downhill / Second half including Newton Hills of 1:35:47. It isn’t a “negative split” from a clock standpoint, but because of the elevation loss in the first half, and the Newton Hills (including Heartbreak Hill) in the second half – this result is very close. I have to thank my family, Coach (Gregg Brekke – GBCoaching.com), friends and teammates for all of their support this winter during the training cycle.

** Did I mention that the day of the 115th Boston Marathon was also my 39th birthday? What an awesome way to celebrate my birthday! Running the world's greatest marathon, and setting a big Personal Record! :)

Mile by mile breakdown:
M1 = 7:19 The race has started! It took over 4 minutes just to get to the starting line. No rush… it’s a long day! OK – I’m across the line now, and heading down the first hill out of Hopkinton! Such cheering! So many people! No room to run – I want to go faster, but it was OK to start a little easy anyhow.

M2 = 7:06 Settling in now – getting a little elbow room. I’m already too hot. Taking off the arm-sleeves and throwing them into the back of my tri-suit. Sure that looks dumb, but I don’t care!
M3 = 6:57 Now we’re on track… room to run, mind and body dialed in! I feel good, I’m comfortable and getting up to speed now.
M4 = 6:50 I’m feeling GREAT! I’m doing Boston again!! This is awesome! I remember a lot of these little towns along the way.
M5 = 7:01 Steady. Keep drinking more than I think I need. When to take the first gel? Let’s wait a little longer…
M6 = 7:02 Solid. Feeling good. Time for that gel.
M7 = 7:02 Everything is on track. I’m on plan. All is quiet in mind and body.
M8 = 7:01 OK – we are almost 1/3 into the race… the “hold back” phase will be over, and the “hold pace” phase will begin… so far, so good! The first 1/3 was net downhill… the next 1/3 will be pretty much flat. Let’s see how it goes!
M9 = 7:00 Feeling good. Drinking a lot… taking a lot of salt pills… on track!
M10 = 7:01 OK – 10 miles down… 16.2 to go. Feeling great!
M11 = 7:02 Steady, even effort at this point. Room to run. Sticking to the plan.
M12 = 6:58 I’m in the zone. Continuously focused on my pace and how I’m feeling.

M13 = 7:00 / HALF = 1:32:46 I’m on track for a really good race – that is if I can hold it together in the second half! A marathon always seems easy and going well during the first ½ of the marathon. It won’t get “real” until around mile 20 for me… sometimes “real” is OK, sometimes “real” is the wheels coming off. What will today bring?
M14 = 7:03 Wellesley College – screaming tunnel! Thousands of girls from the college come out to cheer and be kissed! They were out in force this year! It was absolutely INSANE!! This time, I actually stopped for a kiss! It’s all part of the Boston experience.
M15 = 7:05 The deafening tunnel of cheering girls was now fading into the distance… time to focus!
M16 = 7:01 Any mile now, the race will get “real” for me… mentally and/or physically. I need to be on alert for that and attack anything that comes up.
M17 = 7:06 First entrance to the Newton Hills – so far so good… (hind sight) probably should have taken a gel this mile… my plan was to do so at 18… body started asking for it, but I didn’t want to give myself a “gut bomb” with all of the Gatorade and salt pills I was taking.

M18 = 7:32 This mile was the only one in which I really had a “rough patch” and doubts … I hadn’t prepared my mind for the steep hill toward the end of this mile. My concentration had wandered – the hill caught me a little off guard, and the hill attacked me, instead of me attacking the hill - and I didn’t feel great. The mind started to think about things unraveling and all the other negative chatter that starts when the suffering starts. I decided to focus on nutrition and stuffed myself to leave no chances for the next series of hills… gel, lots of salt caps, and a lot of Gatorade. That turned out to be a very good move! I needed that kick!! (see my note in mile 17)

M19 = 7:20 Newton Hills continue to roll on. I’m feeling better now (that nutrition was needed more than I realized). Now I’m feeling strong and passing people on the next significant climb, and really rolling it out on the downhills… I am back on track and feeling good again!! That rough patch in mile 18 was put behind me quickly. Good job, Ken! Endurance races are so mental…

M20 = 7:26 the 3rd of 4 significant hills is here. Feeling good. Pushing it up the hill… passing a lot of people. I feel so much better than last year!

M21 = 7:12 Heartbreak Hill! I was totally ready and charged up the hill! I was feeling so strong, I actually started to worry that this wasn’t Heartbreak hill, but a smaller hill before – was I pushing it too much here? Keep pushing… then I saw all of the chalk writing on the road toward the top of the hill, encouragement for the Heartbreak hill climb… Yes- this was it, and I was just feeling so strong! Excellent mile! 7:12! (vs 7:48 last year)

M22 = 7:10 The worst is over now – it is time to hold on to what I’ve got (a sub-3:10 time) and keep the nutrition coming! Roll the downhill… gain speed… let the legs turn-over. Feeling good!

M23 = 6:52 I’m realizing that if I really start to push it, I can finish with sub 3:10 … Let’s ramp up the pace a little, and see how the legs respond. The engine room gives the “thumbs up” – feeling good – let’s roll!

M24 = 6:54 Feeling so strong, so good, let’s keep pushing this! I think Mark Durno ran a 3:09 something last year… maybe I can be a little faster! Whatever it takes to motivate me!! Let’s see if we can get down to a 3:09!

M25 = 7:05 I feel so good! So strong, still! People are blowing up all around me!! Be careful – keep the nutrition coming! Last of my salt tabs is in… wish I had a couple more – but I’ve already taken 2x what I planned to. Just hang on now! Stay consistent and steady! Watch out for the “trolley tracks” – don’t roll an ankle or something! Holy crap – there is the “CITGO SIGN” – that means 1 mile to go is coming up!!!

M26 = 6:16 ADRENELINE! I am passing the Citgo sign, and I think if I really push it, I can get that 3:08! THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN! I feel great during the first ½ of Mile 26… faster, faster, faster! Holy crap – I’m flying! As we ran down the little hill under the overpass to Commonwealth, My right hamstring starts to pluck! OH NO!!! PANIC!! I’m too close to my goals to let up now! Stay calm… DEEP BREATHS… SLOW… DEEP BREATHS… Don’t alter the pace. Breathe through this – hope it will pass. Coming up the hill on the other side, I kept pushing it (quads working) – just not over-kicking behind me. The sense of cramping is passing now… and we are turning onto Hereford!! This is it!!

0.2 to finish = 6:40 pace: This is it! Turning to Boylston Street! I can see the finish line! I’m going sub 3:10! I’m probably going under 3:09! WOW! Wonder where Amy is… Oh man… people are still blowing up around me! Careful – that guy just collapsed in front of us – no warning… so close to the finish… how can the body just stop like that? I can still pass a lot of people here – let’s keep the pace strong, but not over-do it and cramp up! Right on the edge! Smiling! People cheering everywhere! This is going to happen! I’m so happy! Last year, I could barely stay focused on the finish line (cramps) – this year I’m fully aware and enjoying it all! THERE’S AMY – HI BABE!!! Now – to the finish line! Head up! Bring it in!


3:08:33! 6 minutes faster than last year and 5 minutes faster than my PR in Cincinnati in 2009! I can’t believe it! I did it! All that hard work, training in the snow and cold, early morning wake-ups, all hours and miles logged!

As I start to walk away from the finish, the realization of what I accomplished wells up – I start to get really choked up. I ran a 3:08… I dreamed to get under 3:10, and wondered if I could really take that much time off year-over-year. The tears are flowing now… thank god for my sunglasses to hide my eyes… I keep getting waves of emotion… tears of joy… and of disbelief… 10 years ago, I couldn't even run 5 miles - much less a marathon. My first marathon in 2003 was a 3:49... When I ran 3:13 in Cincinnati, I wondered if that would be the fastest of my life. 2 years later, I'm running a "Three - oh - something"... I just can't believe it, and I wonder again - was this the fastest race of my life? Can I ever top this? Who cares?!?!? I JUST ROCKED THE TOUGH MARATHON COURSE KNOWN AS "THE BOSTON MARATHON"! Let's enjoy this!!

Now, I can barely stand or walk… not having to run or focus or push amymore has allowed my body to go AWOL. We are headed towards the medals, food and our gear bags now… Jim LaMastra is right next to me in this mass of humanity. Jim came in just before me – 3:08:14. He recognizes me first and we start chatting about the race. Jim and his father have run Boston together now for 9 or 10 years. Pretty cool!

Now, I’ve collected my goods and I’m looking for Amy. We meet up quickly, and head back to the hotel, which is right by the Finish area (thank heavens!). I have to get a quick shower in preparation for my post-race ice bath appointment. I hate ice baths, but like the results. Amy joins me in the 2nd floor suite of the hotel, where the athletes have an incredible view of the Finish line, and get the ice baths. She is there to document the pain and joy. : )


The rest of the day was spent walking the Freedom Trail, from Boston Commons to the North End (Little Italy). We probably walked 6 or 7 miles - which I think is good for my legs post-race. It is a great way to see the historic sections of the city, and to keep my legs from stiffing up too much.

Now, my second Boston experience ends on a very positive note. I came to attack the course and push for a sub 3:10 time. I accomplished that goal. My goal for next year will be to push toward the 3:00 mark. I think on the right course, with the right conditions, I can do it.

This year's triathlon season will be focused on Olympic Distance only - no Ironman this year. I will be working on speed, speed, speed. My next "A" race is Maumee Bay Olympic Triathlon in June, and my final "A" race will be the USAT National Championships in Burlington, Vermont in August. I hope to carry that speed into preparation for my 2012 spring marathon (TBD).

Japan and China - March 2011

I made my 4th trip to Japan, just two weeks after the major 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that devastated the north-east region of the country. The Fukushima Dai'ichi nuclear power plant was still out of control and in partial melt-down - to me that was the most dangerous part of making the trip there. That was, until I landed. I was in a 6.5 magnitude aftershock on one of the elevated highways in a bus... things were swaying. In all of my visits to Kobe (where the massive 1995 earthquake destroyed everything), it was alwyas the elevated highway that freaked me out the most. I didn't like that.

I was in Japan for 3 full days (on the tail end of my 2 week trip to Asia). Each morning, I ran along the ocean in Akashi. Each time I hear a siren, I could only think "tsunami warning - where to go?!?!?"... even though the area where I was, was pretty protected from large tsunami - or so I had hoped.

In general, it was business as usual there. The only significat difference you could see - was the reduction in electricity use. They are conserving to avoid rolling black-outs and keep sending power to the badly damaged northeast. The people were quite calm about things - even the nuclear situation. Were the Japanese too sheltered by the media? Was the West too "hyped up" by the media coverage? Probably the reality lies somewhere in between - now having been in both "worlds" during this disaster.

The food was fantastic as always in Japan. I made a point of having sushi each day, as well as trying something new for dinner each night. Work was quite challenging. There is so much to be done, and I'm short on manpower in Asia - so all roads seeme to lead to me for the time being. Good news is that our business in Japan has quadrupled in a short time! It was overwhelming at times... so many thing to get sorted out.

I was able to get solid training in during this trip as well. Logged over 100 miles of running! During my first week (all in China), I ran 70 miles in 6 days (one day lost for travel to China). During my second week (mostly in Japan), I managed 32 miles + time on the bike trainer. I had 4 "speed" workouts - during these two weeks. Two were threshold workouts: 3x15 min @ T, 8x5min @ T, and two were MP runs of at least 5 miles of MP running. In addition, my last "long" run of 23 miles was done in Shanghai. I leveraged the jetlag to my benefit - running in Shanghai is easy at 4am!

In China, I was interviewing candidates for my new Purchasing Coordinator, and looking for people for the China and Japan warehouses. I found "my guy" for the Purchasing Coordinator role during this trip. Let's hope he works out as well as I think he will!

Much of my time in China, however, was sorting out a major quality problem. The supplier I inherited from my predecessor made an out of compliant shipment, and is now refusing to replace it without more money. Without going into details, we are over a barrel, and I'm finding other options - quickly! I was jumping from city to city to city, visiting suppliers around China. Shanghai to ZhengZhou to Tianjin to Beijing back to Shanghai. Whew!

I was able to have some time to see Beijing. Very interesting! From Tiananmen Square to the Fobidden City to the 2008 Olympic Village - there is a lot to experience in Beijing. While Shanghai is a huge, modern city, Beijing has the history in it. Forbidden city was just amazing to see. Took you back to the early 800AD times when it was used as a fortress and seat of power. Quite interesting!

The Olympic village was special for me as an athlete. To see the "Water Cube" aquatics center where Michael Phelps broke so many world records, and became the most decorated Olympic athlete... and to see the "Birds Nest" stadium where the track and field events took place (which I watched from Oregon before and after running the 197 mile "Hood To Coast" race).

Tiananmen Square was quite a sight to see as well. The first night in Beijing, we were in front of the Square, starting to take pictures, when suddenly, a group of soldiers and poilce came out and forced everyone off the square, and to stop taking photos. It was a little unreal. The Square had been packed with people, and with all of the protests and unrest in the Middle East, I wondered if we found ourselves in the middle of something. We never found out for sure, but we think some high ranking officials were coming to the Square. Next morning, things were back to normal. I love "Peking Duck", and found a fantastic restaurant right next to T-Square to enjoy it for dinner. It was perfect! (Peking is the old name for Beijing)

I found a beautiful 11 mile course to run in Beijing that included Tiananmen Square, passing the Forbidden City to a gorgeous lake area, which was a perfect place to run, away from the hustle and bustle of this great city.